Certain consumer circles prefer cigarettes with the typical American-Blend flavor. However, the Burley tobacco used to obtain this flavor has a high protein content, which causes these cigarettes to have several undesirable qualities including an undesirable aroma and a very high nitrate content. The high nitrate content leads to a relatively high harmful substance or pollutant index.
It is possible to blend Virginia tobacco types with Burley tobacco types to obtain the desired American-blend flavor. Alternatively, the desired flavor may be obtained by adding non-tobacco additives to the cigarettes. The additives are limited by tobacco regulations. In addition, the incomplete burning or pyrolysis of the non-tobacco additives can lead to the formation of undesired pollutants, resulting in a higher pollutant index.
It is possible to obtain a thinning of main stream cigarette smoke through the use of a high ventilation filter. This thinning gives the cigarette a low condensate and nicotine value and a low pollutant index. However, the cigarette suffers from the disadvantage of a low tobacco flavor, an aroma deficit, and a low saturation level and therefore only has limited consumer acceptance.
Special filter constructions and particularly those with chamber filters intended to improve the flavor characteristics and provide a more favorable nicotine/condensate ratio e.g., (8 mg of maximum condensate) are disclosed in European Patent Application EU-A 0 255 114. In addition, ventilated monofilter cigarettes are disclosed in German Patent Application DE-OS 30 11 959 which have specially designed, grooved filters. These grooved filters result in a rushing movement of the main stream smoke out of the filter body. Such cigarettes have more aroma, accompanied by lower nicotine and condensate values. However, these constructionally complicated filters reduce the cigarette's flavor.
In cigarettes known to date, the flavor type of the existing tobacco blend naturally reoccurs in a more or less reduced form in the main stream smoke and has never been changed into another flavor type.
A ventilated filter cigarette having low condensate values and in particular a low pollutant index, without having the known disadvantages, such as low tobacco flavor, aroma deficiency, low degree of saturation and therefore poor consumer acceptance is highly desirable. The present invention provides a ventilated cigarette having these desired characteristics.